Tooth brushes



States 1 ite The present invention relates to toothbrushes in which the handle is configurated to insure that the brush will be held in the proper position for brushing the teeth with a vertical motion.

As pointed out in my prior US. Patent 2,263,885, on which this is an improvement, a vertical brushing motion can best be performed when the implement is grasped adjacent the brush end with the thumb and forefinger on opposite sides of the handle while the little finger, ring finger and middle finger grasp the handle proper. I have now found that the vertical brushing motion is further facilitated when the brush handle is further configurated to insure that the forefinger crosses the handle at a right angle with respect thereto.

With most brushes that are sold today, instructions are given as to how to use the brush in a proper manner. Many users fail to follow the instructions. With my improved brush handle, the user automatically holds the brush in a manner that encourages its use with a vertical brushing stroke, e.g., a stroke in which the bristles move down on the upper teeth and up on the lower teeth, starting at the gums, which is the proper brushing method recommended by dental authorities.

A further object of the invention is to provide the toothbrush, the handle of which is so constructed that it is equally adaptable for a right or left-handed person.

With such objects in view, as well as other advantages which may be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportions and arrangements without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawing means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements in their useful applications which for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of my improved toothbrush;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the brush of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character indicates the brush end or head portion of the implement, and 11 the handle portion, the handle 11 being generally straight and the head portion 1t carrying the conventional brush head 10. The handle 11 is formed to define a laterally widened portion 12 positioned close to the head portion 10, the lateral widening being seen with particular clarity in FIG. 2. As is conventional and as shown in FIG. 2, the head portion 16 is narrow to facilitate insertion thereof within the mouth. The portion 12 is wider than the portion 10 to provide increased leverage. The widened portion .12 is formed to include opposed transverse grooves 13 and .14 which are formed on both sides of a gripping platform '15. The gripping platform 15 is thinner than the widened portion 12 which terminates on either side of platform 15 in ridges or shoulders 16 which extend generally at right angles to the longitudinal axis of handle 11 to define the grooves 13 and 14 as extending transverse to the handle 11, i.e., at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle 11.

tent

3,067,446 Patented Dec. 11, 1962 ice Desirably, the ridges 16 are formed with central inwardly extending gripping protuberances 17, which prevent the handle of the brush from slipping out of the grips of the thumb and forefinger. The structure in the vicinity of the gripping platform is shown in detail in FIG. 3.

The rear portion of handle 11 remote from head 10 may be of any desired construction. Preferably, the rear of handle 11 is configurated to provide spaced grips for reception of the little finger, the ring finger and the middle finger. These spaced grips are desirably provided by forming the rear of the handle to define axially spaced annular grooves 18, 19, and 2-0, groove 19' being shown in detail in 1 16.4.

When the user grasps the handle, the end of the thumb normally positions itself in one of the opposed transverse grooves 13 or 1-4, with the body of the thumb extending in a plane substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the handle. The forefinger then falls into position across the groove on the opposite side of platform 15, the ridges 16 forcing the forefinger to extend substantially in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the handle. The remaining fingers tend to fit into the finger receiving annular grooves 18, 19, and 20.

It will be observed that the grooves 13 and 14 are of substantial depth to constitute convenient rests or seats for the end of the thumb and the forward portion of the forefinger. Moreover, the platform 15 is quite wide. In this manner, a secure grip of the toothbrush between the thumb and forefinger is provided which resists slippage when the handle becomes wet and which provides desired leverage for manipulating the brush head in the preferred vertical stroke. Further, the positions which the thumb and forefinger are forced to assume effectively prevent the brushing of the teeth by a horizontal stroke which is the improper use of a toothbrush. If a horizontal stroke is attempted in the use of my improved brush, the thumb and forefinger tend to strike the lips and cheek of the user which effectively prevents proper brushing. Furthermore as the thumb and forefinger grip the handle close to the head of the brush, it becomes difiicult to brush the back teeth if a horizontal stroke is attempted. As will be evident, the toothbrush of the invention may be used identically and with equal facility in either hand.

The invention is defined in the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A toothbrush comprising a handle portion and a head portion having bristles extending at an angle therefrom, said handle portion at the end distant from said head portion having three annular grooves each extending completely around the handle portion, said handle between each adjacent pair of grooves having an outwardly projecting ridge defining a limit for the thrust of the users fingers, and that portion of said handle between the nearest adjacent groove and said head portion being widened and having located thereon on the side from which the bristles project and on that side opposite thereto, special gripping surfaces which includes opposed flattened depressions extending across the width of said handle at said widened portion for the reception respectively of the thumb and fore-finger of the user, the material of the handle forming a pronounced shoulder at opposite sides of said gripping surfaces extending generally at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said handle, said flattened depressions extending completely across the handle from side to side, one flattened depression being on the same side as that from which the bristles project and for the reception of the thumb of the user and the other depression being for the reception of the forefinger, whereby the forefinger of the user is forced to assume a position close to the head portion and generally at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said handle and the thumb of the user is forced 3 into a position parallel with said axis and generally opposed to the forefinger to thereby facilitate a vertical brushing stroke.

2. A toothbrush according to claim 1 in which the opposed flattened depressions have protub-erances extending inwardly toward each other and lengthwise of said handle for preventing slippin of the thumb and forefinger Whiie the toothbrush is in use.

3. A toothbrush according to the details or" claim 1 in Which the three spaced grooves and the ridges are respec- 10 tively for the reception of the little finger, the ring finger and the middle finger, said grooves extending lengthwise of the handle portion for a distance sufiicient for the reception of those three fingers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 85,112 McGauley Sept. 18, 1931 D. 144,163 Dolnick Mar. 19, 1946 796,980 Andrews Aug. 15, 1905 2,263,885 McGauley Nov. 25, 1941 3,010,131 Kisky Nov. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 562,430 Great Britain June 30, 1944 

